Move WHS2011 image to smaller SSD

[Jaxon]

Hello,

Hopefully I have this in the correct spot. I've been running my current WHS2011 setup for a few years now. I've recently upgraded one of the SSD in my desktop PC and I was hoping to move my WHS2011 image to the SSD to see if it helps speed things up at all (boot, GUI, etc). Two questions:

1. Is this a bad idea running my WHS2011 OS off the SSD?

2. Anyone know how I can move my current boot disk image to my 120GB SSD easily? I know WHS2011 is supposed to have a minimum drive size of 160GB, but people have gotten around this.

I'm just looking to run the OS off the SSD and keep all data on the 8 HDD currently in there.

Thanks.

 

[Jaxon]

Nothing?

 

[Abula]

Nothing?

The people that hang here are not much fans of WHS, so you wont find as much recommendations here.

1. Is this a bad idea running my WHS2011 OS off the SSD?

Its not a bad idea, but depending on the use of your server, there wont be much gains from booting up and shutting down, and in a lot of scenarios servers dont usually go down or up much so.... but i do have my WHS with an SSD, but for example my HBA take so much time to boot that the gains on booting from the ssd are not as big as with my desktop/laptop. Make sure you dont add the SSD to the pool though, just keep it for the os/programs.

2. Anyone know how I can move my current boot disk image to my 120GB SSD easily?

Acronis seems to be one of the best software to do the image and restore it to the new drive. Personally i just don't do it, i prefer when moving, specially to an SSD, to do a hard reset on the SSD, and to do a fresh install on it, with drivers that allow trim, etc.

I know WHS2011 is supposed to have a minimum drive size of 160GB, but people have gotten around this.

Read Installing WHS 2011 on SSD or SATA Hard Drives smaller than 160GB and, Assasin Server Guides and Tutorial: WHS2011

 

[Jaxon]

Abula -
I appreciate your response and insight, thanks. While my WHS only gets rebooted when updates mandate it, I have been trying to figure out what to do with the SSD sitting in my drawer. I already have multiple SSDs in my other machines, so really it's just the WHS missing one.

You're experience seems to confirm my expectations -- that there will be minimal gain moving the OS to a SSD.

Also, valid point on moving the image vs doing a full/clean re-install.

Maybe I'll either donate the SSD to an in-law or find something else to use it for.

Thanks again!

 

[Jaxon]

Just circling back out of boredom...resolved this issue by just switching my OS to WS2012R2 Standard and installing the WSE role. Virtualized my Plex machine via Hyper-V while I was at it. Figured why the [H]ell not. Time to step my game up.

 

[ohhbass]

I have done this. I cant quite remember how I did it though. I either:

1. Back up existing installation (using acronis) and the just restore the 60gb and 100mb partitions to the new ssd. Once done allocate remaining ssd space as a seperate partition.

2. I may have installed windows 7 on the new ssd first to create the 100mb random partition and format it. Then essentially follow step 1.